Remote control for an actuator having a neutral position



July 30, 1968 c. A. COOK 3,395,325

REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN ACTUATOR HAVING A NEUTRAL POSITION Filed Oct. 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4

uvvewron CHARLES A.-C0Ol( FIG; I W M y 30, 1968v c. A. COOK 3,395,325

REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN ACTUATOR HAVING A NEUTRAL POSITION Filed Oct. 14, 1965 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3/ 25' 1 4 1 I l 52 E 53 5/ 2 26' E i L; IJ

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l' Q 80 1 INVENTOR E 50 CHARLES 4. 600K l 3'9 w W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,395,325 REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN ACTUATOR HAVING A NEUTRAL POSITION Charles A. Cook, 7301 Fourche Dam Pike, Little Rock, Ark. 72206 Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,813 4 Claims. (Cl. 318267) This invention relates to remote control systems and more particularly to apparatus for attachment to conventional throttle/gearshift and steering controls for boats to operate them from a remote location.

It is an object of this invention to provide a remote throttle/gearshift and steering control system which is easily connected and disconnected to the boat controls, is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a remote control system wherein a reversible motor selectively moves the installed boat control mechanisms.

A further object of this invention is to provide a remote control system for operating boat control mechanisms that automatically limits the movement of the controls to a predetermined amount.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a remote control system for operating boat control mechanisms that incorporates means to selectively return a control to a preselected position.

Although primarily intended for water vessels equipped with Single Lever throttle/ gearshift controls and Push- Pull Cable type steering controls, and described as applied thereto, the scope of use of my invention is not so limited. It may be employed in any circumstance for imparting a limited directionally selective rotation to a shaft to which its characteristics make it applicable.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view which will become apparent in the details of construction and operation as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a boat with the remote control system of the invention attached to the steering and throttle/ gearshift controls;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view, partially in section, of the throttle/gearshift unit of the remote control system attached to the rear side of the throttle/gearshift control of the boat;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the unit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the unit of FIG. 2 showing the reversible drive motor and gear details;

FIG. 5 is an elevation View, partially in section, of the steering unit of the remote control system attached to the rear side of the steering control of the boat;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the unit of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an outline plan view of the hand held remote switch unit of the system; and

FIG. 8 is the wiring arrangement for the system.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 10 designates generally a boat with a conventional steering control mechanism 11 and a single lever type throttle/gearshift control mechanism 12 installed therein. Similar motor drive units 13 and 14 are attached to the steering and throttle/gearshift control mechanisms 11 and 12 and move these controls by being selectively energized by the relay unit 15 as desired by a person operating the hand held push button unit 16. Detachable flexible cables 17, 18 and 19 interconnect the several units, cable 19 being of sufiicient length to reach to any point on theboat.

The reversible motor drive unit 14 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 and is mounted on the rear side of the throttle/ gearshift control 12 by suitable means such as with bolts 25 so that the shaft 26 is axially aligned with the shaft 27 thereby providing a common axis of rotation for the throttle/gearshift control arm 28 and the drive unit arm 29. When suitably joined as by bolting to a bar 30 all movement of the arm 29, keyed to the shaft 26, is transmitted to the control arm 28 which is keyed to the shaft 27.

Selective movement of the shaft 26 is obtained by driving a first gear 31, also keyed to shaft 26, by an electric reversible motor 32 through a suitable gear train to give the desired speed reduction. As here shown a worm 33 on the shaft of motor 32 meshes with pinion gear 34 on shaft 35 and a second gear 36, also on shaft 35, meshes with first gear 31.

Movement of arm 29 is automatically limited by adjusting screws 37 and 38 engaging normally closed contact stop switches 39 and 40, respectively, inserted in the power lines to motor 32. As viewed in FIG. 2, switch 39 is in the motor circuit having a direction of rotation to move arm 29 in a clockwise or forward direction while switch 40 is in the circuit having a direction of rotation to move arm 29 in a counter-clockwise or reverse direction.

An important feature of the invention is a selective means to return the arm 29 to a preselected or neutral position from any other position when desired. This is accomplished with a cam 41 secured to shaft 26 and having a first surface 42, a second surface 43 of different radius and an intermediate surface 44 actuating a three position switch 45. Operation of switch 45 will be described later in connection with the wiring arrangement.

The motor drive unit 13 shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6 is similar in operating principle to drive unit 14, just described, however the requirement to move the steering control 11 more than one full revolution might make it desirable to use a different speed reduction ratio in the gear train. Similar parts functioning in a similar manner are given the same number with a prime mark and will not be further described except as necessary to explain variations. As alternative mounting and coupling arrangements the reversible motor drive unit 13 and steering control mechanism 11 are shown secured to a common support base and shaft 26' is joined directly to shaft 51 by an axially extending socket member 26" attached to gear 31' and slidably received over shaft 51 to which it is coupled by a removable toggle pin 52.

Due to the necessity to limit the limit stop means and preselected position return means to a partial revolution they cannot be secured to a part directly attached to shaft 26. A second reduction gear train consisting of a small gear 53 on shaft 26' meshes with a larger gear 54 on shaft 55 to give the desired reduction. Cam 41' is secured to shaft 55 and actuates three position switch 45' as previously described except that cam 41' now rotates in a direction opposite to shaft 26' and cam surfaces 42' and 43' are reversed in their switching actions. Movement of the steering mechanism is automatically limited by the pins 56 and 57 engaging the normally closed contact switches 39' and 40' which are also reversed in position.

FIG. 8 shows the circuit arrangement for energizing the reversible motors from an electric power source such as a separate battery B. Relays 61, 62, 61' and 62 located in the relay unit 15 are remotely actuated -by momentary contact push button switches 71, 72, 71', and 72 contained in the hand held unit 16. Switch 71 actuates relay 61 providing power through the limit stop switch 3'9 to throttle/ gearshift reversible motor 32 for rotation in the .forward direction. Switch 72 actuates relay 62 to provide power through limit stop switch 40 for rotation of the motor 32 in the reverse direction. Similarly switches 71' and 72 actuate relays 61 and 62' through limit stop switches 39' and 40 to rotate steering reversible motor 32 for either port or starboard helm respectively.

When throttle/ gearshift drive unit arm 29 is in a neutral position the preselected position return cam 41 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 2 and switch actuating arm 80 is in engagement with cam intermediate surface 44. In this condition the three position switch 45 is in the off position. When arm 29 moves to a forward throttle or clockwise position cam surface 43 engages switch arm 80 and contacts 81 are automatically closed establishing part of a circuit to relay 62. Manual closing of throttle/ gearshift neutral push button switch 73 then actuates relay 62 and energizes the reverse rotation circuit for motor 32 returning arm 29 to the neutral position and opening switch 45 contacts. When arm 29 is in a reverse throttle or counterclockwise position cam surface 42 engages switch arm 80 to close contacts 82. Closing switch 73 will now actuate relay 61 and energize the forward rotation power circuit to motor 32 and again return arm 29 to the neutral position.

In a similar manner steering unit cam 41' actuates switch 45 in combination with switch 73' to return the helm to a preselected o-r midship position. When helm is to port cam surface 43 closes contacts 81' to starboard relay 62' and when helm is to starboard cam surface 42' closes contacts 82 to port relay 61.

As an alternative arrangement momentary push button contact switch 73" with its connections indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 8 may be used in lieu of or in combination with switches 73 and 73 to simultaneously return both earns 41 and 41' to their neutral position.

Other normal operations in handling a boat, such as, starting and stopping the engine and sounding the horn may be included in the system. Additional push button switches 74, 75 and 76 in the hand held unit 16 actuate relays 64, 65 and 66 in the relay unit 15 for energizing the respective operating solenoids to stop or start the engine and sound the horn. An automatic safety stop switch may also be included in the hand held unit 15 by providing a normally open mercury tilt switch 77 in the stop relay circuit.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention the relay actuating switches are illustrated as assembled in a portable hand held unit, however, it should be recognized that additional parallel connected switches in separate units or installed in fixed positions may be used to operate the controls from a multiplicity of stations. In addition the control system can be further remotely controlled from an external position by an appropriate radio remote system. Any conventional radio remote control system that performs the function of selectively operating a plurality of momentary contact switches can be used when such radio controlled switches are substituted for some or all of the switches in the hand held unit 16.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrically controlled actuator, comprising an actuator element, means for moving said element in opposite directions, a source of electrical power to energize said means,

two relay switches in electric circuits to said means;

a manually and independently actuated switch in an electric circuit to actuate each of said relay switches, one manually actuated switch controlling actuation of its relay and the element by said means in a first direction,

the other manually actuated switch controlling actuation of its relay and the element by said means in a sec-' ond or opposite direction;

a three position switch having a first position means connecting it in said electric circuit to actuate said second direction controlling relay, a second position means connecting it in said electric circuit to actuate said first direction controlling relay and a neutral position and an operator for said three position switch;

cam means connected to and driven by said actuator element, said cam means having cam portions for moving the operator of said three position switch to each of said three positions, the first position occurring when said one manually actuated switch is closed, the neutral position occurring when said operator element is in a neutral position and the third position occurring when said other manually actuated switch is closed;

a neutral manually operated switch connected in circuit with both of said first and second position means of the three position switch;

whereby operation of said one manually actuated switch causes said actuator element to move in the first direction, said cam means first position occurs and moves the operator of the three position switch to complete the electric circuit to one side of said second direction controlling relay and then closing of said neutral manually operated switch completes the electric circuit to said second direction controlling relay thereby energizing said means for moving the actuator element in the second or opposite direction and to its neutral position.

2. An electrically controlled actuator according to claim 1 wherein said actuator element is a rotatable shaft,

said :means for moving said actuator element in opposite directions comprises a reversible electric motor having a driven rotary shaft connected to said electric circuits and gear means connecting the shaft of the motor to rotate said rotatable shaft,

said cam means is a circular cam plate mounted on and for rotation by said rotatable shaft and having a first cam sector and a second cam sector each of which are joined at the adjacent ends of their cam sectors by a neutral cam portion all for actuating said operator of the three position switch.

3. An electrically controlled actuator according to claim 1 wherein said manually and independently actuated switches and said neutral manually operated switch are mounted in a small elongated housing holdable in the hand of the operator with each of said manually actuated switches being operable by the hand of the operator holding the housing.

4. An electrically controlled actuator according to claim 2 including limit switches in the electric circuits to said reversible electric motor and means in said gear means for operating each of said limit switches to open position to stop the rotation of said motor in each of the respective directions of rotation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,499,166 2/1950 Russell 318-267 2,991,403 7/1961 Groft 318266 2,583,059 1/1952 Neville 3 l8--267 2,714,698 8/1955 Coolidge, et a1 318-286 3,153,181 10/1964 Black 318267 ORIS L. RADER, Primary Examiner.

K. L. CROSSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED ACTUATOR, COMPRISING AN ACTUATOR ELEMENT, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ELEMENT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO ENERGIZE SAID MEANS, TWO RELAY SWITCHES IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS TO SAID MEANS; A MANUALLY AND INDEPENDENTLY ACTUATED SWITCH IN AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT TO ACTUATE EACH OF SAID RELAY SWITCHES, ONE MANUALLY ACTUATED SWITCH CONTROLLED ACTUATION OF ITS RELAY AND THE ELEMENT BY SAID MEANS IN A FIRST DIRECTION, THE OTHER MANUALLY ACTUATED SWITCH CONTROLLING ACTUATION OF ITS RELAY AND THE ELEMENT BY SAID MEANS IN A SECOND OR OPPOSITE DIRECTION; A THREE POSITION SWITCH HAVING A FIRST POSITION MEANS CONNECTING IT IN SAID ELECTRIC CIRCUIT TO ACTUATE SAID SECOND DIRECTION CONTROLLING RELAY, A SECOND POSITION MEANS CONNECTING IT IN SAID ELECTRIC CIRCUIT TO ACTUATE SAID FIRST DIRECTION CONTROLLING RELAY AND A NEUTRAL POSITION AND A OPERATOR FOR SAID THREE POSITION SWITCH; CAM MEANS CONNECTED TO AND DRIVEN BY SAID ACTUATOR ELEMENT, SAID CAM MEANS HAVING CAM PORTIONS FOR MOVING THE OPERATOR OF SAID THREE POSITION SWITCH TO EACH OF SAID THREE POSITIONS, THE FIRST POSITION OCCURRING WHEN SAID ONE MANUALLY ACTUATED SWITCH IS CLOSED, THE NEUTRAL POSITION OCCURRING WHEN SAID OPERATOR ELEMENT IS IN A NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE THIRD POSITION OCCURRING WHEN SAID OTHER MANUALLY ACTUATED SWITCH IS CLOSED; A NEUTRAL MANUALLY OPERATED SWITCH CONNECTED IN CIRCUIT WITH BOTH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITION MEANS OF THE THREE POSITION SWITCH; 